Sylvester Stallone pays tribute and says farewell to his pal and Rocky co-star CARL WEATHERS. RIP Carl.pic.twitter.com/ozf7kimkJC
— All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) February 3, 2024
Evan Rosen
New York Daily News
Actor Carl Weathers, known for playing Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” franchise and appearing in “Happy Gilmore,” “Predator” and Disney’s “The Mandalorian,” died Thursday at the age of 76.
Weathers died peacefully in his sleep at home in Los Angeles, his manager announced in a statement on Friday.
“Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” Matt Luber said. “Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”
Born in 1948 in New Orleans, the Emmy-nominated actor first excelled as an athlete, playing a variety of sports including football, soccer, wrestling, gymnastics and boxing during his childhood.
Weathers would go on to play football at San Diego State University and help lead the Aztecs to an 11-0 record on the way to a 1969 Pasadena Bowl victory under Hall of Fame head coach Don Coryell. He also pursued a degree in theater arts while in school.
Although he went undrafted in 1970, the linebacker later signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent and played a total of eight games in the NFL before pivoting to an acting career.
Weathers soon began landing small roles in the blaxploitation films “Bucktown” and “Friday Foster,” in addition to several TV roles on “Good Times,” “Kung Fu,” “Cannon” and “Starsky and Hutch” in 1976.
During his audition for the role of Apollo Creed in “Rocky,” Weathers recalled being introduced to Sylvester Stallone as the writer of the film. After worrying that he botched the audition, Weathers told the room that he felt he could do a lot better if they got him a “real actor” to work with, not knowing Stallone was to be his on-camera partner.
In an interview with Rich Eisen in 2017, Weathers said he believed he got the role because Stallone “wanted to beat the hell out of me.”
It would end up being his most notable role, one he would reprise in Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), and Rocky IV (1985).
Weathers also played a pivotal role in 1987’s “Predator” alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, and in Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore” as Chubbs Peterson, a former golf star who lost his hand in an alligator attack.
Sandler honored Weathers in a heartfelt post to Instagram Friday afternoon.
“A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always,” Sandler wrote. “Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell. Loved his sons more than anything. What a guy!! Everyone loved him. … Carl will always be known as a true legend.”
Weathers is survived by his ex-wife, Mary Ann, and their two sons.
His other credits included a recurring role on “Arrested Development,” a voiceover in the “Toy Story” franchise, and TV credits for “Street Justice,” “Colony,” “The Shield,” “Chicago Justice” and “Brothers.”
Weathers was also building a directing career in his later years, heading two episodes of “The Mandalorian” as well as episodes of “Law & Order” and “Chicago Med.”
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